"Kids in middle school in particular tend to spend a lot of time behind screens," school psychologist and Change4Life adviser Camille Johnson said. "I know how difficult it can be to kind of fight that."

The goal of "Screen Free Week" is to refrain from using screens for entertainment in order to enjoy the rest of the world, school counselor and Change4Life adviser Emily Frankfurth May said.

"I see students at lunch who are playing games on their phones during their social break time," she said. "It's important for kids to have other outlets and connect with other students, so this will be a good way to build community in our school by doing some healthy things."

During "Screen Free Week," April 29 to May 3, students, and staff, will pledge to remain electronic free, for entertainment purposes, in lieu of other activities.

"I didn't know how much I needed my iPhone until I got it," Frankfurth May said.

Activities throughout the week, happening after school, include: planting a garden on Monday; an obstacle course on Tuesday; physical education games on Wednesday; art projects on Thursday; and Zumba with an instructor from the YMCA on Friday.

"Middle school is just a traditional age for trying to figure out social skills," Johnson said, "so, this is one way we're trying to get kids out to meet with each other and be physically with each other doing fun things."

Frankfurth May said they decided to offer the activities after school since that's when most students are on their devices.

"After school is when many kids go home and either sit in front of the TV or the computer or they get on their phone," she said.

Change4Life is able to offer "Screen Free Week" activities thanks to a $5,000 Living Healthy grant through Washington County Local Public Health.

Johnson and Frankfurth May said they decided to adopt the national campaign because technology continues to preoccupy everyone's time, and not always in a positive way.

"They spend so much time on that, that doing homework and doing other things in their lives goes by the wayside," Johnson said.

Addressing student wellness

Change4Life was formed earlier this month because Frankfurth May and Johnson said they felt wellness of the whole student wasn't adequately being addressed.

"We spend so much time now on academics that some of the other things we used to spend time on in school we don't anymore," Johnson said. "We are trying to focus on the whole child and recognize that we are trying to help develop them in the other areas."

In addition to "Screen Free Week," Change4Life, which currently has six student members, is also hoping to organize other wellness-themed events such as a bike or walk to school campaign.

Frankfurth May said she hopes Change4Life continues to grow.

"We feel that having a healthier student all around is going to make for a happier person who is ready to learn and make connections with their friends while feeling safe and happy," she said. "We're promoting the all-around health of students to help build their resiliency."

Amber Kispert-Smith has been the schools and Afton reporter at the Woodbury Bulletin since 2008. She holds a bachelor’s degree in journalism from the University of Minnesota. She previously worked as a reporter for Press Publications in White Bear Lake.